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Holy Joe Update
HOLY JOE UPDATE....I see that Senate Democrats have voted to allow Joe Lieberman to keep his committee chairmanship. I guess they really showed him, didn't they? No Democrat will ever dare to support a Republican candidate for president, speak at the Republican national convention in prime time, and bad mouth the Democratic Party's candidate ever again.
Well, the precedent has been set. If you want to cross Obama, go ahead. The consequences will be minimal. Barrack is missing a lesson every good second grade teacher knows: better to start out with a firm hand and lighten up down the road after you have established control. The alternative is much more diifcult ? trying to clamp down after you have established your reputation as a softie. Lieberman was a heaven sent case for Obama to demonstrate the toughness a successful president needs. He failed his first big test. Guess elections don't always have consequences after all.
The following bit about Leiberman staying in the caucus is taken from the weblog Whatever by Jon Scalzi:
?-
SCENE OPENS on SENATOR JOE LIEBERMAN sitting alone in a nondescript back room at Reagan National Airport. It's clear he's been made to wait a long time. Suddenly, the door to the room opens and two Secret Service agents enter and examine the room. After they've given the all clear, another man enters the room. It is PRESIDENT ELECT BARACK OBAMA. LIEBERMAN stands.
LIEBERMAN
Hello, sir.
OBAMA
(Holds up hand to silence LIEBERMAN)
Let's make this quick. To recap, for the last couple of years you've been in the pocket of the Republicans on the war and other topics. You campaigned against me and for the Republicans. You even spoke at the Republican National Convention. And now you want me to help you save your seniority with the Democrats.
LIEBERMAN
Yes, sir. Please.
OBAMA
If I do this thing, you understand the cost.
LIEBERMAN
I do.
OBAMA
Fine. Hand them over.
LIEBERMAN
Now?
OBAMA
Yes, now.
LIEBERMAN looks around at the other men in the room, who stare at him impassively. Finally, LIEBERMAN sighs, reaches down into his pants, and detaches his TESTICLES. He raises them up to look them, wistfully, then moves to offer them to OBAMA.
OBAMA
No. Give them to Carl.
OBAMA nods toward one of the Secret Service agents, who is holding up a lunch-sized paper bag. LIEBERMAN drops the TESTICLES into the bag. CARL quickly folds the top of the bag over twice, three times, and once the TESTICLES are secure, hands the bag to OBAMA, whose takes it without looking, having kept his eyes on LIEBERMAN. OBAMA raises the bag, still looking at LIEBERMAN.
OBAMA
These are mine now. I'm keeping them for the next four years. I'm going to keep them in a drawer in the White House desk. And if at any time in the next four years there's so much as a hint that you might do something to displease or oppose me, then I'm going to take them out, and then I'm going to take this ?
(OBAMA raises a large rubber mallet he's been hiding behind his back)
? and I'm going to turn them into pate, which I will then feed to Malia and Sasha's puppy. Or maybe I'll just skip all of that and give them to Rahm.
LIEBERMAN
(eyes widening in abject terror at the thought of what RAHM EMANUEL might do to the TESTICLES, if given a chance)
That's not going to be necessary, sir.
OBAMA
Let's hope not, Joe. Let's sincerely hope not.
(OBAMA turns to go, then pauses, jiggles the bag, and looks back at LIEBERMAN)
This bag is really light, Joe. You know, I thought they'd be bigger.
OBAMA leaves, followed by his Secret Service agents. LIEBERMAN is left in the room, still unzipped, mouth open.
Well, the precedent has been set. If you want to cross Obama, go ahead. The consequences will be minimal. Barrack is missing a lesson every good second grade teacher knows: better to start out with a firm hand and lighten up down the road after you have established control. The alternative is much more diifcult ? trying to clamp down after you have established your reputation as a softie. Lieberman was a heaven sent case for Obama to demonstrate the toughness a successful president needs. He failed his first big test. Guess elections don't always have consequences after all.
The following bit about Leiberman staying in the caucus is taken from the weblog Whatever by Jon Scalzi:
?-
SCENE OPENS on SENATOR JOE LIEBERMAN sitting alone in a nondescript back room at Reagan National Airport. It's clear he's been made to wait a long time. Suddenly, the door to the room opens and two Secret Service agents enter and examine the room. After they've given the all clear, another man enters the room. It is PRESIDENT ELECT BARACK OBAMA. LIEBERMAN stands.
LIEBERMAN
Hello, sir.
OBAMA
(Holds up hand to silence LIEBERMAN)
Let's make this quick. To recap, for the last couple of years you've been in the pocket of the Republicans on the war and other topics. You campaigned against me and for the Republicans. You even spoke at the Republican National Convention. And now you want me to help you save your seniority with the Democrats.
LIEBERMAN
Yes, sir. Please.
OBAMA
If I do this thing, you understand the cost.
LIEBERMAN
I do.
OBAMA
Fine. Hand them over.
LIEBERMAN
Now?
OBAMA
Yes, now.
LIEBERMAN looks around at the other men in the room, who stare at him impassively. Finally, LIEBERMAN sighs, reaches down into his pants, and detaches his TESTICLES. He raises them up to look them, wistfully, then moves to offer them to OBAMA.
OBAMA
No. Give them to Carl.
OBAMA nods toward one of the Secret Service agents, who is holding up a lunch-sized paper bag. LIEBERMAN drops the TESTICLES into the bag. CARL quickly folds the top of the bag over twice, three times, and once the TESTICLES are secure, hands the bag to OBAMA, whose takes it without looking, having kept his eyes on LIEBERMAN. OBAMA raises the bag, still looking at LIEBERMAN.
OBAMA
These are mine now. I'm keeping them for the next four years. I'm going to keep them in a drawer in the White House desk. And if at any time in the next four years there's so much as a hint that you might do something to displease or oppose me, then I'm going to take them out, and then I'm going to take this ?
(OBAMA raises a large rubber mallet he's been hiding behind his back)
? and I'm going to turn them into pate, which I will then feed to Malia and Sasha's puppy. Or maybe I'll just skip all of that and give them to Rahm.
LIEBERMAN
(eyes widening in abject terror at the thought of what RAHM EMANUEL might do to the TESTICLES, if given a chance)
That's not going to be necessary, sir.
OBAMA
Let's hope not, Joe. Let's sincerely hope not.
(OBAMA turns to go, then pauses, jiggles the bag, and looks back at LIEBERMAN)
This bag is really light, Joe. You know, I thought they'd be bigger.
OBAMA leaves, followed by his Secret Service agents. LIEBERMAN is left in the room, still unzipped, mouth open.
What a moronic move.
At least I can take comfort from my Senators votes against him (likely given their statements over the weekend).
I don't have any Senators in the Dem caucus, but I'm still rather disappointed. One would think that having a firm majority (even without 60) would give the Senate leadership some spine. Once again the Senate continues to not break expectations by choosing politics over governance.
I'm sure they wagged their fingers at him and said that if he ever did something like this again, then they'd really get angry then.
This is why there will be no need for a viable opposition party for many years. The Dems are perfectly capable of keeping themselves in check, while jumping at the movement of their own shadows.
It's hard to imagine that this used to be the party of LBJ. None of this crowd has the slightest idea how to play hardball anymore.
Joe Lieberman is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life.
Ha-ha.
I wonder if Hon. Sen. Lieberman didn't actually cost Hon. Sen. McCain more votes than he delivered.
The Democrats are a bunch of wussies. Pathetic.
I'm starting to believe in term limits.
I forget who said this --- someone at mydd --- but this is just a continuation of the Democrats' "strength through weakness" philosophy.
Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, just like the !$$#@$#%! FISA sellout earlier this year. While the Republicans play to their base far too often, and clearly now to their detriment, the Democrats don't play to their base nearly often enough.
Just once would be nice, for a start.
Meh.
I'm starting to believe in term limits.
I think there's a lot to be said for term limits.
Look, if you want to blame somebody for the way this turned out, you should blame Obama. He said that he was no interested in punishing Lieberman.
Just wait, this will be spun as the voters' fault for re-electing him in the first place.
Hey, Obama, extending an olive branch is one thing, letting the fox back into the henhouse is quite another.
WTF?
They're wussies, like everyone says. Or the electioneering and posturing and positioning and so on is theater for us rubes while the real action occurs offstage somewhere. What's the downside to dropping Lieberman? What's the upside to keeping him? I don't think anyone outside of DC can answer.
Group of 14?
I'll always wonder...if mccain's visit with Obama was to beg for Joe. Did mccain trade something so Joe could keep his committee chair????
No Democrat will ever dare to support a Republican candidate for president, speak at the Republican national convention in prime time, and bad mouth the Democratic Party's candidate ever again.
But do we really want a situation where Democrats are supporting the Democratic candidate out of fear?
I wish Lieberman would have lost in 2006, and I would love to see the Connecticut voters recall him (if that were possible). But I can't really be upset that the Democrats are not punishing someone for exercising his First Amendment right to express a viewpoint I disagree with.
OK, from here on I don't want to hear any Republican saying that the Dems don't really practice what they preach on inclusion and big tentitude and all.
Take consolation in the words of LBJ regarding J. Edgar Hoover.
I think we definitely need term limits but they will never vote themselves out of a lifetime job.
Lieberman IS my senator I'm sorry to say -- I didn't vote for him, and his campaign against Lamont was bad enough. Sanctimonious asshole.
What a bunch of jerks.
Disgusted.
I confess that I really don't get it. The Dem Senators, Barack, somebody needs to give me the rationale. I'm thinking "Is there a deal they are not telling me about and, if so, why? What could it be?
For example, the Republican deal with Ron Paul a few years ago: you vote with us on procedural votes, including cloture, and we let you keep your seniority and committee spots. That's not a bad deal. But nobody is telling me the Dems got such a deal.
Lieberman's word? Well, if I were there with Harry Reid, maybe he could convince me. From where I sit, I'm not convinced at all. I don't understand.
I've got to quickly replace all my gaskets because the first time Lieberman pulls a Lieberman stunt I'm afraid something will blow.
Can someone please figure out a way to get Reid out of his position and get someone in with some guts ? If Reid had really wanted to assert some opposition to Lieberman, I have to believe it wouldn't have been so easy for the snivelling little backstabber. Just wait till he starts calling for special prosecutors to investigate the administration. It will be the Clinton years all over again.
Profiles in spinelessness.
Gah!
At least they're not Bush. I wonder how long until that refrain gets old.
I just tore up a $500 check to the DNC.
Way to go guys!
I am a liberal but also a pragmatist. I think we saw pragmatism at work here with Holy Joe. It isn't pretty but probably is smart--"politic", even. As Dems we're going to have to govern with our heads as well as our hearts. Let's move on to the next issue, folks.
Disgraceful! They should have booted his ass out of the Party.
Steve H:
You are confusing the right to free speech with the 'right' to hold an important position in the Democratic caucus. No one is questioning Lieberman's right to betray the Democratic caucus. What we are questioning is why the Democratic caucus is willing to accept Lieberman's betrayal.
But do we really want a situation where Democrats are supporting the Democratic candidate out of fear?
What kind of bullshit comment is that?
He should be punished because he actively fought against him. Fine you can do that, but not as a part of our party. If you don't like it, keep your mouth shut on the god-damn sidelines.
At this point I would smile if Lieberman was struck by lightning and killed.
There is a really simple explanation, and its good politics: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Instead of term limits for elected office, political parties ought to have term limits.
Let's move on to the next issue
Should Israel or the US nuke Iran?
What I don't get is stripping him of the environment subcommittee chairmanship. He sucked at oversight and he's slightly rabid on homeland security but I actually still trusted him on environmental issues (in as much as one can trust the average senator) and public works.
For all I know the environment subcommittee will now transfer over to Baucus.
lack of change you can believe in. Hope of real change: kerflush.
now lets reinstall the clintons and make sure nothing happens for the next 4 years.
utter morons.
All of you, go over and read Glenn Greenwald on the subject; the obsessive compulsive need of the Democrats to be 'bipartisan' http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/11/17/emanuel/index.html
This is why Republican minds still argue it's a center right country ... everyone in Washington STILL believes this. Nobody within the Democrats realises they're hurting themselves by doing this, they think they're HELPING themselves.
I don't know what the hell to do about it. We don't even know who voted for Joe. It's unbelievable.
I am too disgusted and pissed off to post coherently, but I will say this: ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!
Disgusting!
Can I retract my vote for Obama?
He may be a worm, but he's OUR worm.
Did someone say something about change coming to government?
Looks like same old, same old to me.
The total premise of Obama's campaign is totally gone only two weeks after election. No wonder people are turned off by politics and politicians.
What y'all don't know is that Lieberman was Obama's mole in the McCain camp. Kinda like Mother Night, only without the self-disgusted suicide at the end.
David Bailey: I don't think I'm confused. And I'm certainly not claiming that Lieberman has any sort of "right" to hold a committee chairmanship.
But Lieberman clearly did have a right to state his views on the election.
And while I agree that the Democrats in the Senate clearly have the right to remove his chairmanship, I can't be upset that they chose not to exercise that right.
To me, "Loyalty to the Party" is a dangerous concept, and I would just as soon that remain the province of the Republicans.
I think a lot of Lieberman defenders (and detractors) are forgetting something basic.
Chairman of Homeland Security is a job with responsibilities. If nobody does the job, people die.
Lieberman didn't do his job. And soldiers died, and American security worsened. Screw his endorsements: he should be fired because he didn't do his job.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0708/071508cdam1.htm
Check out the link. Shoddy construction in Iraq causes US soldiers to be electrocuted while showering? Lieberman refuses to hold hearings b/c that would embolden the terrorists.
I guess they really showed him, didn't they? No Democrat will ever dare to support a Republican candidate for president, speak at the Republican national convention in prime time, and bad mouth the Democratic Party's candidate ever again.
Well put, sir.
do we really want a situation where Democrats are supporting the Democratic candidate out of fear?
I'd rather see the Republicans do that, personally.
I can't really be upset that the Democrats are not punishing someone for exercising his First Amendment right to express a viewpoint I disagree with.
Oh, for Pete's sake! Lieberman's veiwpoint is one thing; the fact that he expressed that viewpoint in speeches at the @#$%^&*! Republican convention and on the campaign trail for McCain is quite another, and fully deserves punishment.
Do you think this is all about the reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine? Lieberlips keeps talking as a Senator from Connecticut and no one cuts him up to use as fish bait. That's supposed to be fairness.
Well, the precedent has been set. If you want to cross Obama, go ahead. The consequences will be minimal. Barrack is missing a lesson every good second grade teacher knows: better to start out with a firm hand and lighten up down the road after you have established control. The alternative is much more diifcult trying to clamp down after you have established your reputation as a softie. Lieberman was a heaven sent case for Obama to demonstrate the toughness a successful president needs. He failed his first big test. Guess elections don't always have consequences after all.